Responses of suction buckets subjected to sustained vertical uplift loads in sand

Abstract

This study presents finite element analysis (FEA) results of suction buckets subjected to vertical sustained uplift loads, focusing on the suction pressure and the displacement responses. The accumulative seepage of water and the heave of the soil in the bucket are the key components of the displacement. The accumulative seepage of water is modelled using a layer of soft elastic material (water elements) beneath the bucket lid. The model is first used to investigate the suction pressure and the displacement responses under drained, partially drained, and undrained conditions. The components of the displacement are subsequently explained under different drained conditions. A critical uplift force is then defined when heave of the soil occurs. The influences of the key parameters on the displacement rates are analyzed. The fitting equations of the displacement rates with and without heave of the soil are presented, and the results calculated by equations are compared with those from available centrifuge tests and previous FEA.